Bitter cold in Steamboat to subside Wednesday

Wintry wisdom

Steamboat Springs residents give tips about how to stay warm in the cold weather.

Photo by John F. Russell

The snowmaking guns are expected to be running nonstop the next few days as arctic air brings colder temperatures to the area.

Photo by John F. Russell

The icy waters of the Yampa River make for a chilly scene as they flow through Steamboat Springs on Monday morning. Temperatures are expected to plummet Tuesday as cold arctic air moves through the area,

Photo by John F. Russell

Wind blown snow form a canvas for these footprints alongside U.S. Highway 40 in Steamboat Springs. The tracks could stay around for a few days as frigid temperatures, not snow, are expected in Steamboat Springs the next few days.

Tuesday’s daytime high of 15 degrees will seem balmy compared to Monday’s overnight low of 16 below zero. Tuesday night’s overnight temperature will get all the way up to zero, and then relief comes in the form of 30-degree days for the remainder of the week, according to the National Weather Service’s Grand Junction forecast office.

However, overnight temperatures won’t climb out of the single digits until the weekend, and even then, thermometers aren’t likely to get past 12 degrees in the early morning hours. If there’s good news to be had from the cold weather, it’s that it should be good for snowmaking at Steamboat Ski Area. No natural precipitation is in the forecast this week, so the manmade variety will have to do for skiers and riders eager to hit the slopes.

Those skiers and riders may find more comfortable conditions on the trails of Mount Werner than in downtown Steamboat. The National Weather Service said strong valley inversions could mean the air temperature at higher elevations will be higher than what is experienced in the valley.